Geofix/marshalls ready mix jointing

[phander]

Hi,

Thinking about using Geofix/Marshall's or similar jointing compound with some Indian sandstone (on bed of sand/cement).

What are people's experiences with this stuff? Some people seem to love it, some say it lasts two years and then needs redoing.

Thanks.

[dig dug dan]

Geoshite. Forget it. I have had great results with easijoint. Or there is marshals 365 weatherpoint. But not geofix

[phander]

Out of interest why is Geofix so bad in your opinion?

And do they all work the same way?

[dig dug dan]

Geofix lasts about 6 months, then starts degrading and coming loose. The other two work in a different way, where you brush them in with water and they are air activated.

[lutonlagerlout]

I had some very bad experiences with Geo in the past and will not use it ever again
marshalls 365 is a slightly better polymeric but IME does not last long term
so now either sand and cement or 2 part resin mortar
LLL

[Tony McC]

None of the 1-part polymerics are wonderful, but some are truly awful, and GeoFix falls into the latter category.

Use the search button above to look for the term GeoFix and you'll find hundreds of complaints about it from users of this forum over 15 years or more. It's old and failed technology that has never been improved in quarter of a century.

The best 1-part poymerics are just about OK for patio work as long as there'll be no power washing, no over-hanging trees to cover the paving (and jointing) with a bed of leaves each year, and nothing heavier than a child's bike travelling across the pavement.

If it has to be a brush-in resin mortar, then I would only consider a good quality 2-part product, despite the significant price difference (they can be twice as costly, but are at least 10 times better!), or look to use a good quality cement-based slurry mortar, at less than half the cost of a polymeric, and accept the heavy, arduous cleaning that they require.

You pays your money and you takes your choice!

[lutonlagerlout]

You pays your money and you takes your choice!

true !
:laugh:
LLL

[Bob_A]

Hello chaps long time no 'see'
My Rompox Easy has failed in many places on my Indian sandstone patio and when the weather warms up and if I can get my arse in gear I shall repoint the whole patio
I was thinking of using in a gunned in type product, what would people recommend please

[lutonlagerlout]

Hi Bob
Larsen and easyjoint both do good gunned in stuff but the application is back breaking, I prefer the 2 part resin mortars now GFTK VDW 815 or romex D1
much easier to apply and need to be done with water
cheers LLL

[phander]

I used VDW 800 in the end - on the advice of NCC Streetscape. It was a very easy process and seems to have worked well. Time will tell I guess!

Thanks very much for everyone's advice.

[Tony McC]

I think the good quality 2-part resin slurries are much, much easier to use than the gun mortars. I know they cost so much more, but once you've spent a couple of hours bent over, intensely concentrating on where it's all going with a gun system, that few extra quid seems more than worth it!

[lutonlagerlout]

the guns are back breaking work and very messy,its a 3 man operation and highly weather dependant
a nice 2 part slurry every time for me
LLL

[Bob_A]

Thanks chaps.
Has there been a change over to the use of slurries over the last few years as I seem to remember gunning being really popular on here. Wasn't you trying to formulate your own gun mix at one time LLL?
The Rompox Easy had put me off slurries, I take it these 2 parts mixes are much superior?

I originally contemplated gunning as I intended to do the job in sections, get a section of old pointing out one day and fill it another day, then move onto another section. I'm winding at work and have gone part time so have plenty of time on my hands

[lutonlagerlout]

I was a fan of the gun stuff but it is back breaking and a 3 man operation,plus if it rains you are in trouble (this happened to me) vdw 815 seems expensive but bang for buck lasts and long term works out cheaper.
finish not quite as nice as mortar but we only have one body :;):
LLL

[Bob_A]

Point taken.
Just need to get rid of this sciatica and drum up the enthusiasm before the end of summer